Jolly
by TippierCoffee
Summary: December is here, which means Christmas is just around the corner, and Kuki can't wait to celebrate. But somewhere between all the joy and celebration Kuki loses her Christmas spirit completely. With the help from a worried elf someone has to give it back to her. But who, and how? T to be safe.
1. December 1st

_**Author: TippierCoffee**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own "Codename: Kids Next Door" or any of its characters. All credit goes to rightful owner: Mr. Tom Warburton.**_

_**A/N: In Denmark we have this series on TV, which directly translated is called "Christmas calendar". It is a TV series containing of 24 episodes, which runs from December 1 to December 24 (they make a new series almost every year). It always revolves around Christmas in one way or the other, so this year I thought I would share this thing with you, by making my own Christmas calendar in writing :)**_

_**I hope you will enjoy it ^^**_

_**Ps. In this story they are at the age of 14 (7 graders).**_

* * *

_Saturday December 1_

Kuki lay in her bed lazily and pulled her blanket a little closer over her head, almost covering her entire face. She pulled her legs up to her belly trying to catch a little more heat.

Winter sure was cold, and all she wanted to do was to just lay here and be warm and cozy.

She still found it kind of strange that she and her other school mates weren't to change schools until seventh grade, when almost everybody else she knew from other school, changed schools in sixth grade. Not that she minded it. It was just kind of funny.

She did however being in the same class as Abigail Lincoln, whom she had had a very close friendship with but her 'grieving' was short when she found out they would at least be in the same school.

Abby was in the neighboring class to Kuki and had already managed to make some new friends, one called Hoagie and one called Nigel.

Sometimes when Abby invited Kuki to tag a long on a girl's day out, they would usually also hang out with Lizzie, but apparently she had once dated Nigel, so the two of them together could easily create an awkward atmosphere.

Kuki had however also made a few new friends, though the one she spoke to the most was Rachel McKenzie. She was a kind girl with mid-length blonde hair and brown eyes, and was generally very kind, but sometimes also quite strict.

Usually when they had a group project Rachel was always very good at being 'in charge' and make sure everybody did an equal amount of work. Kuki sometimes really envied Rachel's leader skills and sometimes wished she could be just as confident as the blonde.

Kuki let out a small sigh under her quilt before tugging the blanket closer around her and enjoying the heat, when suddenly a feeling she had forgotten something washed in over her. But what had she forgotten?  
The answer came quickly to her when her radio alarm clock – which she used to wake her up at ten thirty in the morning on weekends – went off.

"Good morning Cleveland" the host half way sang, sounding more like someone commentating a baseball match than a radio host "My name is Conrad Perkins and you are listening to Radio Atmosphere!"

Kuki let out half a giggle half a sighed. Radio Atmosphere had always been her favorite station to listen to, but Conrad was always so overly awake in the morning it could sometimes bug her.

"Here's a message for all you sleepyheads still in bed: what are you doing? It's December first! This means Christmas is just around the corner, so toss those blankets and get out of bed!"

Kuki sat up with a start. December first! How could she have forgotten.

"If you just woke up, here is a little song for all of you. Shakin Seven's Merry Christmas every one"

Kuki jumped out of bed with the merry song in the background. How in the world could she had forgotten this? December first always meant decorating her room with her small antiques and paper elves, and what not. She loved Christmas! All of it.  
The smells, the decorations, the busyness, but most of all she loved helping out in Mr. Hanson's shop. He always leased the same shop every December, and Kuki had helped him out since she was eleven when she first found the shop.

She quickly got dressed in a green blouse and black jeans, and took on a pair of green cozy socks so her feet wouldn't freeze, and started decorating her room humming a long to the song.

"It's the season. Love and understanding. Merry Christmas. Every one" then she giggle d a little.

She loved decorating her room, and how kind people became during Christmas, how they seemed to finally understand about loving their neighbor, but when it was over she was also a little depressed to see how it all seemed to be almost forgotten. Gone with the blink of an eye.

Another thing that sometimes bothered her a bit, was how she felt left out just a bit when people started talking about Jesus and what not, and she would sit as pretty much the only one in the class who was Buddhist.

* * *

_12 pm_

"I'm going to Hanson's shop mom"

"Okay Kuki, but go home before it becomes dark. I don't want you wondering the streets alone in the darkness"

"Yes mom" Kuki sighed, looking out at the graying skies, knowing it would already be dark by four pm or so.

She put on her thick purple duvet jacket and her sneakers before heading out, and storlling a long the streets.

Her breath created small clouds in front of her as she burrried her ungloved hands in her pockets and pulled her shoulders closer to her ears to maintain warm in the chill of December. Yet when she came closer to the shopping streets she instantly felt warmer. Pine was placed almost in a chain from one side of the street to the other, with little lights twirled into them, and in the center every two rows would have a red heart, and the other rows would have a yellow star.

A smell of pine trees and roasted almonds filled the streets every now ad again, and ever so often a man dressed as Santa would stand on a corner ringing a little bell, collecting money for Orphans so they could have a nice Christmas too.

When she came to the small shop her mood increased even further, and she couldn't help but start skipping into the shop.

As she opened the door a set of chimes started ringing above the door and she was met by a smell of heated orange peels, and pine. She loved the smell in this shop when Mr. Hanson was here. A few people were already walking around the shop, which wasn't completely set up yet, only about halfway.

"Hi Mr. Hanson" Kuki Chirped to the forty-year-old man.

"Oh hello Kuki" he smiled from behind the desk, his forehead shimmering with little droplets. "Could you do me a favor and be cashier while I fix up the rest of the shop? Then you're a sweetie"

"Sure" she smiled.

Kuki loved helping out Mr. Hanson, he was always so kind and understanding, and he smelled really good. Of mint and licorice.

And so, hours passed by as Kuki stood in the cashier taking money, while Mr. Hanson set up the shop, and the streets outside started darkening.

By five pm Mr. Hanson was done and Kuki had ignored more than one text from her mother already. It was impossible to imagine her mother not being furious or worried about her, but Kuki had so much fun, she simply couldn't help it.

Mr. Hanson sat next to her as the shop started emptying out a bit.

"Oh my" he moaned, rubbing his knee a bit. He had told Kuki about injuring it in a soccer match with his friends and how the aftermath had stayed there ever since.

"Is your knee okay Mr. Hanson?"

"It's fine, it's fine"

He always said that, so Kuki wasn't sure if he was just trying to calm her or convince himself that he was fine.

"How would you like to make a few money during this season?" Mr. Hanson suddenly asked her.

"Hm? How do you mean?"

"I mean, you've been coming over every season for two years now, always being so ind to me and lending me a hand. You've always been the closest to an assistant I've ever had, and I was just wondering if you wanted to make money from it?"

Kuki looked at him, still a little confused.

"How would I do that?" she asked

"Well..." M Hanson leaned a little further back in his chair and put light to a pipe he had. "If I hired you, you would be an employee and I would have to give you payment for all of your help, then you could use those money however you want. Maybe to get presents for your family and friends." he nibbled at his pipe before continuing "What do you say Kuki? Do you want to work here for me during this Christmas? I promise it won't affect your homework in school"

Kuki chewed at her lip, she really liked helping out here, and she didn't mind it if she didn't get payed, but the thought that she could buy presents for her family and friends for her money seemed to pull at her.

"I'll have to ask my mom first if it's okay for her" she then said.

She already knew, no matter how much she wanted this she couldn't just say yes and expect her mother to let her, she had to ask her mother first.

She was after all below the age of eighteen and would need her parents permission non the less.

"Okay Kuki" Mr. Hanson said "Then go ask her. But make sure you tell me tomorrow whether she agreed or not okay?"

"Okay Mr. Hanson." she pause a little looking out worried and clamming a hand to her phone. Two missed texts at least. "I... I have to go home now Mr. Hanson, it's already dark and my mom is probably really worried about me"

"Yes okay. Get home safe. And could you call the shop's phone when you're home and let me know?"

"I will" Kuki smiled, headed home with a smile on her face and a ski in her step.

She might get a job this season at Mr. Hanson's shop! Oh she hoped her mother would say yes.

* * *

"Yeah... I just stepped in the door Mr. Hanson... Yeah... I hope so... Okay... Bye" Kuki hung up her cell phone and looked at her mother who was tapping her finger nails to the table with an impatient look in her eyes.

No. Not impatient. Angry.

"I texted you three times and you didn't even bother to answer me" she said, annoyance and worry coating her voice.

"I'm sorry mom, I was just having so much fun at Mr. Hanson's shop that I never got to reply to you"

"I don't care what your excuse is Kuki! I was worried sick about you! Do you know I almost called the police because you never replied to me?" Kuki looked down to the ground shuffling her feet with a few tears forming in her eyes. "You _promised_ me you'd come home before dark, and you didn't!"

"I was helping out in Mr. Hanson's shop"

"I don't care Kuki! I don't care! We had a promise and you didn't keep it and you made me worry sick!" Kuki looked down again "And if I can't trust you to keep your promise, how can I trust you t go out on your own again?"

"Mr. Hanson offered me a job in his shop" Kuki blurted out, unsure of how to calm her mother.

Big mistake. Huge.

"What?" Genki practically screamed

"He offered me a job"

"And how will you take care of a job _and_ your studies huh Kuki?"

"Mr. Hanson said it wouldn't affect my studies at all. It's just I'm so good at helping he wants to pay me for it"

Genki looked like she was about to explode, but she also looked like she was proud of her daughter's indipendence.

"I'll go with you to Mr. Hanson tomorrow then Kuki. Because I want to hear everything from him, and make sure he understand the rules.  
Home by dark, and it can in _no way_ interrupt your studies.  
And if you as much as _one time_ come home as late as you did today, I will _not _let you work there! Do we understand each other?"

"Yes mom"

"Good" she took a deep breath and finally calmed down. "Don't ever scare me like that again Kuki"

Kuki felt the warmth of her mother's embrace and buried her head in her collarbone near her chest, before returning the embrace.

"I won't mom"

"Good"

And with that Kuki's day continued and finished with some sort of peace in the house and hope for tomorrow. She really hoped her mother would let her take the job, it could be a good way to spend her Christmas.

* * *

_**Criticism and/or advices for improvement(s) is/are highly appreciated ^^**_

_**If you want to check out some of my original stories, go to my profile and click the links near the top of my bio :)**_

_**~*~TippierCoffee~*~**_


	2. December 2nd

_**Author: TippierCoffee**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own "Codename: Kids Next Door" or any of its characters. All credit goes to rightful owner: Mr. Tom Warburton.**_

_**Enjoy :)**_

* * *

_Sunday December 2_

"Good morning Cleveland. Today is December second and I just want to know, are you ready to get your day started?"

Yes! Kuki practically jumped out of bed, almost falling over because of her dizziness.

Today was the day when Kuki's mom would go with her to Hanson's – as Mr. Hanson called his shop – and maybe let Kuki get a job there this season.

It was an amazing opportunity, even in the future if she wanted a part time job next to her studies, they would be able to see that she had definitely tried this before and had plenty experience. She was so excited to go.

First things first though. She put on a pair of black jeans and a green sweater to keep her warm in the chill of the day. Then she sat in front of her half length mirror and brushed her waist-long hair before putting it in low pigtails.

Her autumn colored eyes not as much as held a hint of tiredness in them, maybe because Kuki didn't feel tired at all. She was too excited to be tired.

She skipped out of the room with a huge grin on her face and then skipped down the stairs, almost twisting her ankle at one point, and almost falling at another point.

"Good morning!" Kuki chirped once she reached the kitchen and sat down to eat her breakfast.

"Good morning Kuki" he mother greeted her with a small smile, before being silent for a bit. "You know Kuki, we spoke about it, and it's not that we don't think it' a good idea for you to work, we just don't know Mr. Hanson that well, and are a little unsure of him.  
Don't get me wrong!" Genki added when she saw Kuki's confused – yet somewhat hurt – expression "It's not that we think he's a bad person or anything. We just really don't know him that well, and we kind of wish we did.  
Also we are really worried you won't have tome for your homework if yo go to work for him, and we are a little scared he makes you stay till after dark.  
Dark _does_ fall at four pm, and he might need your help more than that, and also your classes sometimes doesn't end until four, or four thirty pm, so will he really be okay only having you on weekends?"

"Mom" Kuki complained, trying to convince Genki to change her mind, from the obvious 'no', she was about to give Kuki. "what if we make a deal I stay until six pm when he closes up on weekdays, and five pm when he closes up on weekends?  
You know it's not far away from our house, so I'll be fine on my own mom"

"Absolutely not Kuki! I don't want you prancing around on the streets in such darkness on your own. You're just a small fragile girl on your own! Do you have any idea what kind of people are out there?"

"Okāsan!" Kuki yelled, feeling frustrated that her mom still thought of her as a child. "I am not a little kid anymore mom! I am smart because you raised me well, I know how to go straight home and not trust in strangers!  
It's a really goodopportunity for me, especially thinking about my future, if I need a part time job to help pay my books or something!  
You're taking away a huge chance from me!"

"Kuki! Enough! Your father and I already discussed it. You can't work there. It will just get in the way of your studies and you will be home too late!"

"Funny" Kuki muttered a little to herself, even though she knew her mother wold hear it. "In the summer I'm allowed to be out until nine thirty pm"

"Kuki! The summer is much lighter than the winter! I don't want you to be out alone in the dark!"

"But mom!"

"That's my final!"

Kuki took a moment to look at her mom, then she went to her room with tears in her eyes and slammed the door behind her.

This was not fair! She was not a little child! And everybody else in her class were allowed to be out to like nine pm, even in the winter. To their parents t didn't matter if it was summer or winter as long as they knew their children had their phones on them, but no! Kuki's mom just had to follow the light and not just make up her mind about one time she could be out for, no matter if it was summer or winter.

It was so unfair how Kuki was being treated by a little four-year-old who didn't know anything and couldn't take care of herself. She was fourteen for crying out loud!

She rolled onto her back with a heavy sigh and looked to her night stand where her cellphone was still sitting. Then she sighed again, rolled to her side, leaned oer and took her phone so she could call Mr. Hanson's shop phone.

"_Hanson's, how may I help you?_" he sounded stressed

Kuki bit her lip feeling really bad about her position. He hadn't picked up until third time she had called him.

"Hi Mr. Hanson, it's Kuki"

"_Kuki!_" he practically sang, sounding very relieved "_Kuki where are you? I could really use your help about now_"

"Yeah" Kukis sighed heavily "That's the thing... My parents don't want me to. They're convinced I won't have time to do my school work or be of much help to you, since my mm wants me home by dark., which is like four pm.  
But then I said to my mom I could just go home when you closed. Six pm on weekdays and five om on weekends, and then she went on about how horrible the streets magically become when dark falls, and I couldn't convince her to let me go."

"_Oh... Hold on_" she heard him put the phone on the table, and say his sorry to some costumers before he started serving them. About five or ten minutes passed before he finally had tome to pick up the phone again. "_Sorry about that Kuki... Do you think... Do you think perhaps I could talk with your mother? Because you know it would not be a problem for me to see you home safely, and if she wants to arrange a meeting with me, I would gladly come over._"

"Oh" Kuki could feel how the hope rose in her chest. "Yeah I'll go downstairs so you can talk with her"

"_Okay_"

Kuki thumped down the stairs almost falling over again.

"Mom! Mom?"

"Hm?"

"Do you have time? It's Mr. Hanson, he'd like tot talk to you if it's okay?"

Kuki saw how her mother's gaze seemed to chill with annoyance that her daughter had called the man and now she wanted them to speak together.

Genki sighed heavily rubbing her template between two fingers before deciding she would talk to this man to make Kuki shut up about it, but she would likely still not let Kuki go.

"Let me talk to him" she sighed reaching her hand out, and then receiving Kuki's phone. "Hello, this is Genki Sanban, Kuki's mother" cold and direct.

Genki waved Kuki off before disappearing further into the kitchen and Kuki understood her mother's wish to speak to Mr. Hanson privately, so she found her way into the living room before flipping the TV on with low volume.

"_Very merry rainbow Christmas!_" a red rainbow monkey blurted out to a green one.

"_And a very merry rainbow Christmas to you too Red_"

Kuki giggled a little and felt a little stupid for still stopping at a channel when this show was on. Even her younger sister – who was just nine years old – was starting to get a bit bored with this show.

"_But what is wrong Green? You seem so sad_" the red rainbow monkey said, with a worried expression.

"_Oh it's just... I don't think Santa likes me very much. I must have done something wrong, for I have almost no Christmas spirit this year, and I prayed and prayed to Santa that I would get it back_" the green one pouted

"_Aaw_" the red one said concerned looking at the camera "_What should we do to cheer up Green?_" she titled her head a little with her paws to her face "_Sing a song? That's a great idea! Hey Green, the children are telling me to sing you a song to cheer you up. How do you like that?"_

"_Oh!_" the green one already seemed to lighten up a bit by this "_I wouldn't mind that_"

"_Okay! I need your help though kids. Will you help me sing to Mr. Green?_" she paused a little and Kuki could just imagine how a thousand of kids got up from their seats screaming 'yeah!' "_Okay! Rainbow Christmas, Rainbow Christmas, oh so very wild, and filled with children. Toys off to girls, and to boys, naughty, naughty kids don't get no toys. Oh silver and gold, and red and white, rainbow Christmas, rainbow Christmas, is tonight!_"

Kuki giggled a little at herself as she watched the flash of colors across the television, it was so strange to think she still loved these creatures to bits and pieces even though she was fourteen-years-old.

"Yes. Goodbye Mr. Hanson"

Kuki snapped her head in her mother's direction and looked up to her with hopeful eyes. Genki just had to take one look at her daughter's smiling face, yet she still shook her head when she handed Kuki her phone.

"Okay, okay. But only if Mr. Hanson really follows you home at night."

"Yes! Thank you kāsan!" Genki almost got knocked over by her daughter's embrace.

"But... I told him you won't start before tomorrow dear"

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

"(sigh) What do I do about you Kuki" Genki sighed to herself "You grow up so fast" and then she stroke Kukis scalp softly.

* * *

_**Crits... All that stuff... More than welcome :)**_

_**~*~TippierCoffee~*~**_

_**Ps. found the Rainbow monkey Christmas song (from Operation N.A.U.G.H.T.Y) on KND's wikia site :)**_


	3. December 3rd

_**Author: TippierCoffee**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own "Codename: Kids Next Door" or any of its characters. All credit goes to rightful owner: Mr. Tom Warburton.**_

_**Enjoy :)**_

* * *

_Monday December 3_

Kuki's rainbow monkey alarm clock woke her at six thirty am in the morning, and she lazily opened her eyes scanning the darkness underneath her covers. If she could just stay here a couple of more minutes. Just five. She knew that wouldn't be possible though, her mother would come up the stairs soon and knock her door.

Slowly she stretched her body as long as she could, while she let a yawn escape her mouth and then she sat up rubbing her eyes, her covers falling down to the bottom of her stomach.

Today was going to be a good day. First day of school in December and first day she would be starting her job at Mr. Hanson's shop.

She giggle a bit in excitement and rose up stretching her body once again, before going to the shower room across of her room.

She let the heated water wash over her naked body and through her thick black locks, washing it in her favorite shampoo which kind of smelled like vanilla and roses.

Maybe she should cut her hair? It was so long washing and drying. Even with a hair dryer.

And those fifteen minutes she had to use on showering could be cut down at least five minutes if she cut it just a little shorter. Maybe shoulder length? She didn't really know though.

She liked her long hair, but she also didn't like it. Maybe she should really give it some serious thought over the holidays?

* * *

"Ittekimasu*" Kuki chirped as she left the house for school, waving to her mother, holding onto her younger sister's hand

"Itterashai**" Genki waved from the door, almost being ready to leave herself.

"We will" Kuki smiled

"Sure" Mushi muttered, not being too chirpy herself today.

As they walked down the street Kuki couldn't help but to look at her sister with a little worry. She was acting a little strange today. Well, stranger than usual. And she seemed a little tired.

"Is something wrong Mushi?"

"it's nothing" she said, a little too grumpy for Kuki's taste. "Just... Didn't sleep much, never mind it"

"O...Okay"

They separated at the bus stop, where Mushi's bus came five minutes before Kuki's bus, and Kuki had tired to part her sister with a goodbye, but it seemed her sister was too eager to get into the bus and leave her sister's side. Maybe she just wanted to feel independent?

"Oh well" Kuki shrugged to herself getting lost in a train of thoughts. She wasn't going to let it ruin her mood how Mushi treated her, or how Mushi behaved.

First day of school in December! For as long as Kuki could remember that always meant relaxing a little and eating cookies or something while talking about what they had in hopes for this year. And what was even better about today was that it was a half day, which meant they were off by lunch.

She just couldn't wait to go, but she did hope the teacher wouldn't food them with story about Jesus' birth this year. Again...

Not that she didn't like Jesus or Christmas or anything like that, it just got tiring to hear about year after year after year after year.

Oh well. If it happened it happened, she shouldn't be so selfish about it.

* * *

_In class_

"Good morning class" Mrs. Cory smiled as she entered the classroom, and looked out over her class. "Happy third of December! I know you're seven graders and probably think this is getting a little childish, but I really hope you will cooperate non the less.

So" she clapped her hands together "This year we have a lot of things coming up. We have an annual 'battle of the grades' as we call it here. It's were we work together with our neighboring class and try to win the school's longest paper chain Christmas competition.

This is done for two reasons. One: it creates a great bond between your and your neighboring class, meaning you can have inter-friendships, if you want to call it that. Two: the only Christmas related thing we'll be doing next year in eighth grade will be the paper chain competition, nothing more, nothing less.

Now... We have a tradition on this school that the seven grader's do the annual Christmas plays. One of them about Jesus' birth, and one about Santa Claus..."

"Santa?" a boy interrupted her. In his younger days people had called him 'The kid' for some reason, but his real name was Ace. "Come on Mrs. Cory, we're fourteen-years-old! Don't you think we're a _little_ too old for Santa?"

Some of the class started chuckling and laughing at his statement. Of course they were too old for Santa Claus.

"This is not about whether or not you are 'too old' for Santa, Sanchez, but no one is asking you to necessarily believe if we get to do the Santa play. We are doing this for all ages, that means younger children too who still believe in Santa Claus, and who might get bored with just watching the nativity play."

Ace sat down with something that sounded like half a huff and half a snigger.

Kuki raised her hand slowly and a little uncertain.

"Yes, Sanban?"

"Ehm... Which play are we doing then?"

"Now _that_ is a good question. Mr. Hughes and I actually drew about it this morning, and it seems like we are doing..." she tapped her table with two fingers as if creating some sort of drum roll. Kuki couldn't help but snicker a bit and feel more and more excited by the moment. "Santa and his helpers" Mrs. Cory announced happily, to many of the students disliking. Various of them started yelling out in frustration.

"What?"

"You can't be serious!"

"That is so Childish!"

"I am not doing that!"

"How old do you think we are?"

Kuki sat a little disheartened by how unwelcome this whole thing was, she didn't mind it. She actually felt rather happy their class wasn't doing the native play about Jesus' birth.

"You know I think it's a good idea" Rachel whispered leaning into Kuki "I mean think about all the smiles we can put on kid's faces from doing a play about Santa"

"I know" Kuki whispered back with a smile "I mean... My sister still believes"

"Quiet! Quiet!" Mrs. Cory hushed them on. "What is going on with all of you?"

"Mrs. Cory" a girl with sleek long auburn hair said "It's just... A play about Santa? Really? Can't we just decide which play we'd rather be in and then mix up with the other class and stuff? I mean... We are way too old for Santa"

"I don't care, Crowfford. This is not about how old you are or how old you are not. This is an annual thing and you are ding it, or it will count as absence"

More frustrated yells erupted at this point. As if it wasn't enough they were forced to do a play called 'Santa and his helpers', they would get absence from not attending it, so there were no means of escaping this ridiculous thing!

"NO, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Mrs. Cory yelled slamming the surface of her desk with the palm of her hand. "If that's the attitude I get from you, then we'll just forget about doing anything that has to do with Christmas this year! Then we'll forget about the school's longest paper chain and secret Santa.  
If this is your attitude then let's just cancel all and have ordinary school days, just like you are going to in eighth grade"

Then she turned her back to the class which had went awfully quiet and started writing on the chalkboard, before starting her history lesson.

No Christmas this year? Kuki looked down at her desk with a sinking feeling in her heart. That couldn't be true.

What was so wrong with doing a play about Santa and his helpers? No one was forcing them to believe in him, and they were being selfish for not doing it.

That would have been the same if Kuki and some of her non-Christian classmates had refused to do the native play just because they didn't really believe in Jesus, and then ruin it for the rest of the class.

Except, there were probably more people her age who didn't believe in Santa than there were people her age who didn't really believe in Jesus.

This was unfair.

* * *

_Recess_

No one even got a chance to stand up as the bell rang for first recess.

Next recess would be lunch which meant they were going to go home.

"Hold on a minute!" Rachel yelled storming up to the chalk board next to a very surprised Mrs. Cory, and looking out at her baffled class mates. "I just wanna say I think you guys are freaking shabby! Year after year people have been doing this play, probably with much less complaints than us. But just because you hear we have to do the play about Santa and not the birth of Jesus you go totally crazy and start complaining about how you're too old to believe in Santa?  
It's so shabby! This is not about whether or nt you believe! Not even if we _had_ gotten the play about Jesus. This is just about making people smile and enjoy themselves to two different Christmas plays, and you're just too busy being 'too old' to do something nice for others?  
I just want to say I think it's so low of you and utterly selfish!  
Because of you people we won't get a chance at competing in the paper chain competition, where I've heard from friends the prize of winning are cinema tickets for our class _and_ the neighboring class.  
You are just going to ruin one of the last chances you have of doing something really cozy for Christmas in school, because you're too freaking old for Santa?  
What a joke! All of you are selfish! And I just want to express how angry it makes me personally because I was looking forward to this as I already knew some of it from my friends who has older siblings here.  
So I hope you feel good about ruining it for some of us who actually want to have a nice December in here!" then she turned on her heel and stormed out.

Kuki watched her with her heart sinking even more, she wasn't even sure if she wanted to do this any more. Not just the play, but the whole Christmas thing. It was like people didn't even care about the Christmas spirit or anything any more, they just cared about themselves and their immage.

This was so dumb.

* * *

_After school at work_

"Something wrong Kuki?" Mr Hanson asked her as she put more stars on display in one of the boxes.

She had been having a hard time keeping cheery today and it had been affecting some of the costumers, and she really did feel bad about it, she really did.

"I'm sorry" she muttered, trying to really stop herself from crying. "It's just..." the first tear fell and her voice turned groggy "We were going to have this whole Christmas thing in class, and it sounded like it would be so nice and I was really looking forward to how the mood would become from it. But then, just because we had to do the play about Santa everyone started complaining and acting up, and now we won't even get a chance to do anything in the Christmas spirit!"

She couldn't help it. She really couldn't, but she had started really weeping now and felt so thankful for the shop having no costumers at given moment, because that would be a big minus on her.

It probably already was.

"Aw come on Kuki" Mr. Hanson said, taking her hand and sitting her in a chair behind the counter, then he got some tissues for her so she could wipe her eyes and blow her nose. "Here..."

"Tha-anks" Kuki sobbed

"You know what Kuki?" she shook her head burying her eyes into a tissue "Sometimes things like these happen. Especially when you become a teenager.  
You get so busy growing up and wanting to seem adult that you forget yourself sometimes. And when you forget yourself, you also forget about others."

"But it's not fair" Kuki whined "I wasn't the only one looking forward to it until people started complaining about the Santa play"

"I know you weren't... Sometimes this just happen when people grow up... But you can _never_ let it affect you okay?  
Let them be stupid, and I know it hurts they're stealing it from the rest of you, but you should not let it get this much to you.  
You should try to keep your chin high and your spirit bright and create your own little Christmas spirit. And you know what happens then?"

Kuki shook her head looking up at the man with glistening tear-soaked eyes.

"Then everyone will be so jealous that you can be so jolly and they can only wish to dare doing that."

Kuki could feel how her heart warmed up, almost like it had put in a cooler, and now someone was caressing it carefully with glove-covered hands and heating it up. She relaxed a little and her sobs stopped for a bit, then she blew her nose and looked at Mr. Hanson with wet eyes and a little smile. He returned it kindly and a little pause passed before Kuki spoke up with a much clearer voice.

"Mr. Hanson?"

"Mm?"

"Why do you think people stop believing in Santa when they grow up?"

"Pfff" he huffed through his teeth "Oh that's a tough one. I guess. Like I said they become too busy being adults, and other stuff starts popping up, and before you know it you feel like Santa was just a thing belonging to your childhood and there is no room for him when you're an adult. Or a teen for that matter.  
I mean when we think about Santa and all of his little elves, and we pass men dressed as Santa in the mall and see who sits on his lap whispering to him what they want for Christmas, it al links to Children.  
So I guess it all comes back to us wanting to maintain our reputation and grow up and let go of our Childhood, and Santa is, a part of that Childhood."

"That's so sad" Kuki gave a pout.

"I know... Even my cousin in Denmark said some old old singer made a song about it where the ending of the course goes a little like: sad that when we get intelligence, we lose our belief in Santa Claus, who brings out the joys of Christmas"

"It is sad" Kuki mumbled. "Thanks for the advice and listening though" she gave him a little smile

"Hey, it's okay. We need to give a smile to our costumers right. And you know what the best part is?" Kuki shook her head. "All that Christmas spirit you won't be able to find in your classmates, you'll be able to find in the costumers coming down here"

Mr. Hanson gave Kuki a little wink before she got up to work again, already feeling much better.

Even though Mr Hanson wasn't _that_ old again, he kind of felt like a grandfather.

* * *

_*** I'm headed out (Japanese. Used when you leave the house)**_

_**** Take care/have a safe trip (Japanese. Used by the one seeing you out of the door)**_

_**If you're wondering about the lyrics Mr. Hanson is referring to it's an actual Danish Song called "Du kære gamle julemand" (Dear old Santa Claus). It is on youtube, but there is not a version with English subs. I am however considering translating this song, and posting it in the next chapter or as an end note.**_

_**Also sorry if I translated or spelled those Japanese words a bit wrong, I just learn from Anime, and Google is my friend (I've got language ear and catch onto foreign languages pretty fast) xDD  
Anyways, this is a long end note. Crits and all that is still more than welcome :)**_

_**~*~TippierCoffee~*~**_

_**Ps. I'm sorry if some of this chap seemed a little "dead"... Relationship stuff you know ^^;**_


	4. December 4th

_**Author: TippierCoffee**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own "Codename: Kids Next Door" or any of its characters. All credit goes to rightful owner: Mr. Tom Warburton.**_

_**Enjoy :)**_

* * *

_Tuesday December 4_

Kuki dragged her feet at the sidewalk holding her sister's hand. She shouldn't be in this mood, she knew Mr. Hanson had been right the night before.

So what if her classmates were too busy being 'grown up' to have any Christmas spirit what's so ever? That didn't mean she should let it bug her the way she were.

She just couldn't help it. Ever since Sunday she had just looked so much forward to first day of school in December and the coziness around it.

"Is your class dong any thing special this December Mushi?"

"Hm?" the younger of the sibling pair looked up letting go of Kuki's hand. "we're doing secret Santa this year as usual, and we're gonna make some Christmas decorations today.  
I don't get what all the fuss is about" she pouted "It's just Christmas."

-_Just Christmas_?- Kuki though not believing her ears. Was this really how Mushi thought of it? How kids in general thought of it these days? Like it was nothing?

Or was it just that Mushi found it annoying that this holiday was so important to practically everyone in America, when other holidays were not even mentioned.

That didn't make much sense to Kuki though. Mushi had been in their mother's belly when they moved to America, and had been born here. All she knew about Japan was what her mother taught them, so how would she miss those holidays when she hadn't really tried celebrating them?

Kuki shook her head a little. She didn't even know if this was the reason Mushi was grumpy at all though.

"See you at home Kuki" Mushi mumbled as she entered her school bus

"See you Mushi"

Kuki smiled and waved at her sister as the bus drove away, then she stood there and waited for her own bus. She really hoped shed find out what was up with Mushi though. She had been acting weird for quite a while now, and had only gotten stranger and stranger as time had passed.

-_I hope it's not because people are mean to her_-

* * *

"Mrs. Cory?" Ace interrupted her in the middle of their English class.

"What is it Sanchez?"

"I... we have been thinking about what Rachel said yesterday ad stuff, and those of us who complained would like to apologize to the rest of you.  
It isn't fair for us to ruin everything, and if it's okay for you Mrs. Cory we'd really like to make up for it and do all of that Christmas stuff anyways"

"Really?" Mrs. Cory asked surprised.

"Yeah" Ace muttered, with a few classmates muttering in agreement in the background. "And I guess... Also thanks to Rachel for scolding us and opening our eyes"

Kuki looked at Rachel who she shared table with. The blonde haired was blushing a little and looked to her table with a little smile, and now more than anytime Kuki really admired her courage. Maybe everything would be okay anyways, and even if they were just doing it to not seem selfish, but even if they were just pretending Kuki would take Mr. Hanson's advice and just keep her chin high.

"Well... If you all agree" Mrs. Cory said with a soft voice, sending a little smile to the class.

Scattered half-convincing agreements were tossed out across the classroom and even though Mrs. Cory looked to have a few traces of doubt in her facial expressions she still decided to relax and let it go non the less.

"Okay. If you are convinced then sure" she smiled

"Of course we're sure" Ace blurted out, as if his voice counted for everyone. No one seemed to care much though, maybe because he was pretty popular in the class.

"Well okay then, I guess I'll go make copies of the script so we can give out different parts to all of you. And don't worry it's not a very long play"

she turned around to leave but Kuki spoke up before she could stop herself.

"Mrs. Cory?"

"Hm?" the teacher turned around halfway out the door.

"Do you think... If people want to... That we'll have time to maybe do secret Santa?"

Kuki had expected people to laugh at her, to call her childish, to say how little they wanted to do that because they were too old for it, but she got surprised when everybody else seemed to agree and shouting stuff like "Oh yes!" or "Can we?"

Mrs. Cory turned in the door with a bigger smile this time and looked out at her students.

"Sure you can" a few _yes_' were whispered throughout the classroom "Let's make a deal then.  
While I'm copying the script, you all write your first ad last name on a little slip of paper, fold it, ad put it down a hat or a bowl or something."

Kuki felt her heart pounding in excitement and her mood lifted by a mile when every one in the class nodded and seemed genuinely excited about this.

Maybe it was going to be a nice December month after all.

* * *

Kuki and Rachel went to put their folded pieces of paper into a navy blue beanie which had been 'donated' by Sarah Jenkins.

"Hey" Ace said behind them, making the girls turn to face him. He wasn't exactly bad looking. "You like how I convinced people yo were right yesterday Rachel?" he put his own piece of paper in the beanie.

"Ehm... Sure" she said looking to the floor with a little blush.

Kuki could see on her that she had been genuinely surprised she had touched something in people with her little speech, but then annoyance seemed to creep into her eyes.

"Although I don't like you taking credit for something I did" then she pushed him softly in the chest and wet to her's and Kuki's table.

It was a little sad to see her like that, but she was right I some ways. If Rachel hadn't spoke up yesterday this opportunity might never had come, and eve though Ace might have talked to the others about listening to her, it wasn't exactly him who had convinced the others.

"Hey Kuki?" Ace asked, tugging a little at her arm as she was about to go to her table and join Rachel.

"Hm?"

"It's pretty cool how you suggested this whole secret Santa thing, it could probably loosen some tension"

"Oh... No problem. I suppose" she felt a little bush creep up on her ad turned to go to her table again, when Ace _again_ tugged her arm softly.

"Kuki?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Would you... maybe like to go out with me on Saturday?"

Kuki had to remind herself to breathe for a moment as her heart started picking up in pace. Ace had just asked her out so bluntly. What should she say? Then she remembered.

"Oh... I... I'm sorry Ace... I'm working in Mr. Hanson's shop, even on weekends, so I don't have any time really... Sorry"

"Oh... That's cool" he said "I wish I could have a job man... Making my own money and spending them how I like... It's really cool Kuki... But. If you ever get a weekend off, would you consider it?"

Kuki stood there for a while just staring at his chest – well, his T-shirt actually – a little too embarrassed to imply eye contact.

"Sure" she said, after a moment too long of silence.

"Cool" Ace smiled. Then he paced to his seat with Kuki practically at his heel, headed to her own seat.

She must have been burning up, because she barely got to sit down before Rachel leaned in and tried to snoop something out of her.

"What was that about?"

"Nothing... It was nothing Rachel"

* * *

"Remember class" Mrs. Cory spoke "I will be watching who you draw, so you don't put people back down just because you don't like them. You get who you get, and you ca only re-draw if you get yourself.  
Stand in a line and drag a paper from the beanie.  
One at a time, one at a time!"

Kuki stood behind Rachel somewhere in the back of the line, she could feel her heart beat in anticipation as she waited for her turn.

Time ticked away so incredibly slowly and more than one person had to draw two or three times before drawing someone who wasn't them self.

She remembered how the class snickered a bit in amusement when Wally Beetles had to draw like twelve times because he kept getting himself, and then after such a long time waiting in excitement it was finally Kuki's turn.

She stood next to Mrs. Cory as she pulled a name from the hat, so that when she opened it Mrs. Cory would be able to see the name right away.

Even though there were only about four names left in the beanie it felt as though Kuki's hand ruffled endlessly through paper after paper, then she clutched her fingers around a note which was a bit curly, it felt as though hands had almost avoided this particular piece of paper. Then she pulled it up with her heart pounding I her throat, her hands shaking and starting to sweat in excitement, ad then she unfolded it.

The name caught her a little off guard though and soon she felt more like she was somehow in despair rather than excited, not because she hated this person, but she didn't really know him that well. Actually she didn't know him at all. Not his interests, not his dislikes, nothing.

Wally Beetles.

What should she do now? What was she going to get for him?

She walked down to her seat feeling a little pale batting the hotheaded blonde an eye.

What kind of person was Wally Beetles?

* * *

_**I do apologize this chapter isn't longer. I'll try to make up for it tomorrow :) Hope you enjoyed it non the less.**_

_**Crits, feedback, advice(s), all that jazz: still very appreciated :)**_

_**~*~TippierCoffee~*~**_


	5. December 5th

_**Author: TippierCoffee**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own "Codename Kids Next Door" or any of its characters. All credit goes to rightful owner: Mr. Tom Warburton.**_

_**Enjoy :)**_

* * *

_Wednesday December 5_

"How can you be one of the three wise men when you're a girl though?" Kuki wondered out loud as she moved with the lunch line.

"Hey, Abby ain't gonna complain. At least she don't need to be som'in stupid like virgin Mary. I would 'a fainted it the teacher said I should do that part"

"Why?"

"I dunno, Abby just wouldn't wanna be her"

"So, you don't like her?" Rachel asked, following the two girls to a table where Nigel and Hoagie were already seated.

"It's not that Abby don't like her, I just dun' wanna be her in a play."

"Who are we talking about" Hoagie poked in, chewing on some food

"Virgin Mary" Abigail said, wrinkling her nose "And don' speak with yer mouth full 'a food"

"Blah blah blah" Hoagie mocked, purposely eating a few bites with open mouth while making faces at Abigail.

Kuki couldn't help but giggle a little even though she felt a little disgusted by the sight. This wasn't really respectful to whichever animal had to let its life for Hoagie to fill his belly.

"I don't know if I envy you or I'm happy I'm not you" Rachel then said "I mean a play about Jesus' birth versus a play about Santa Claus."

"You don't wanna do the Santa play?" Kuki asked, traces of sadness in her voice.

She had felt somewhat sure Rachel had stood up to this because she wanted to do this play.

"Well... I dunno... I mean, I get why we do it to get more families with smaller Children as well, but I feel like I'd rather hear about Jesus' birth and how we ended up celebrating it the way we do, than I want to hear about the story of how Santa came to be and why he's so important to Christmas.  
I mean... No offense if you still believe, it's just a little... Childish. That's all"

"Oh" Kuki looked down

"I wouldn't mind learning about Santa's story" Nigel involved himself in the conversation "Even if you don''t believe in him it sounds rather interesting getting to know how it all started and why we use him so much today, you know?"

"I suppose" Rachel mumbled eying the bald guy before eating.

* * *

"How do you suppose he became bald?"

The had practically just parted ways with Abigail, Hoagie and Nigel when Rache randomly blurted out that question.

"Ehm... I don't know?" Kuki lifted a eyebrow eying her blonde friend. "Why don't you ask him?"

"What? I can't do that, that's rude!"

"Huh? How is it rude? You're just asking?"

"But you don't walk around just asking intimate stuff like that! What if it's because his hair has never been able to grow and he's a little sensitive about it? Or if he as a cancer survivor just waiting for his hair to recover and will be hurt?"

"But... If you don't ask him you'll never know" Kuki said, tugging a loose threat off of her green sweater. "It's not rude to ask if you're curious."

"Come on Kuki" Rachel shot her a look that seemed to say '_are you completely dumb?_' "There are just things that you shouldn't ask people about"

"But... How will you know then?"

"You won't"

"But... Huh?" Kuki really didn't understand this, was she the only one who had been taught it was okay to ask if you were curious?

"I mean... If you saw a guy in a wheel chair, would you go ask him how he ended there?" Rachel didn't bother to give Kuki a chance to answer before she continued. "No you don't! You keep your curiosity to yourself, because it's rude to ask"

-_Rude?_- Kuki thought -_How is it rude to ask something like that?_-

It wasn't that Rachel was paranoid or afraid to be open bout things, she was a very intelligent girl nothing there. But sometimes she seemed to accidentally over think some things. Like this.

Maybe Kuki herself was the one who was odd for just asking if she was curious then, if there actually were questions that could be rude?

* * *

_At work_

"Have a nice day, and merry Christmas" Kuki smiled as she finished serving a couple.

"You too" the woman smiled.

"Bye"

"Bye"

The bell above the door rang as the two of them exited and Kuki left the counter to go help Mr. Hanson restocking his shelves.

After all Wednesday was usually the busiest day I almost any shop because they would get refills and all that.

"Any boxes you haven't taken yet?" she asked him

"Well... There is a whole pallet in the back I haven't touched yet. It's all counted for though so it just needs to be put at its places, you can work on that one if you want to"

"Okay" Kuki smiled skipping out to take the pallet with her.

She opened the first box and started stabling the thousands and thousands of colored balls* for decorating the Christmas tree and put them to their rightful places.

Kuki couldn't help but smile ad somewhat feel warm as she looked at them when she put them to their places. Some were light blue with glittery silver stars, some were a dark pink with glittery golden streaks running along the circumference of the ball. Simple shimmery golden ones, matte orange ones, shimmery green ones. Small oval ones with a pointy bottom and silver shaping swirls and hearts here and there.

She was just getting lost in some slightly bigger silver ones with a thing streak of white glitter outlining an angel on either side of the circle when the bell above the door chimed as a customer stepped in.

Kuki put the smaller box with the six Christmas balls down the cardboard box ad dashed to the cashier.

"Can I help you?" she chirped smiling at a black haired man.

"Yeah. I'm looking for some of those small tin angels, do you have any?"

"Of course we do they're right over..." she had to stop her sentence – and her finger from pointing towards where the tin angels were – when she realized something she had been too oblivious to notice until now.

The man was holding a blind man's cane in his right hand and both his eyes had white spots in them, covering the pupil.

"Oh I'm sorry" she then said "I hadn't noticed you were blind. Here let me show you the way"

"Why thank you" the man smiled angling his elbow for the girl to take. "You don't sound that old. May I ask what's your age?"

"Oh, I'm fourteen. How about you?"

"Thirty nine. And my daughter is ten-years-old. She's the one who kept bugging about losing her tin angels, and her mother had to confirm it to me.  
You see, she has tricked me before to get more pixies for her little Christmas village, not that I mind her wanting to have more things to put there, but then she should just tell me instead of saying she lost her elves" he chuckled a little and Kuki couldn't help but look down.

Wasn't that playing it a bit dirty?

"But she sure loves her angels" the man continued, as Kuki carefully steered him around the pallet she was unpacking "She came crying to me when she found out.  
'Daddy, daddy, they're gone! I can't find them!' she said to me" he let out a little chuckle "I had to explain to her that even if I _had_ been able to see I wouldn't know what she was talking about."

Kuki looked to the man and was about to open her mouth to ask how he had become blind when she suddenly heard Rachel in her head.

'_There are just things that you shouldn't ask people about! It's rude!_'

What if she had been right? If the man would be hurt or offended or think of her as someone who enjoyed others misfortune for asking such a question. Maybe it was really better if she just kept it to herself.

"Here we are" she said, trying to force her voice to sound happier than she felt at the moment. He must have known though, because he seemed to lift his eyebrows in question, but it only lasted shortly before he decided to just ignore it.

"Could you get me ten of those please?"

"Of course" Kuki smiled, still feeling a little heavy at heart. She found a small plastic shopping basket ear by and took the angels one by one, tossing them softly to the basket so they gave a small thud as they hit the bottom.

"One (thud), two (thud), three (thud), four (thud), five (thud), six (thud), seven (thud), eight (thud), nine (thud), ten (thud). Let me guide you back to the cashier sir. We're restocking so it's a bit messy here and there."

"Thank you very much" he smiled, offering her his elbow once again and following her through the store to the cashier.

"That will be eight dollars and seven cents please"

The man reached down for his wallet in the inside pocket of his jacket.

"Here." he handed her the wallet "I trust you enough to let you take the money yourself young lady"

"Oh" Kuki reached down into the wallet and fished up the money she needed before handing the wallet back to the blind man. "Here you go sir. You are now eight dollars and seven cents poorer"

he laughed at her remark as he took back his wallet along with the little plastic bag Kuki had put the ten angels into.

"Here you go sir"

"Thank you very much." he turned to walk out the door but stopped with his hand on the handle before opening the door. "Oh, and in case you were wondering, I had an accident with some fireworks three years ago" then he send her smile and left the store, the bells chiming as the door opened and closed.

Kuki could feel how her stomach seemed to turn into a knot as she felt a little guilty for not asking him.

* * *

_*** I have no idea if you call them colored balls in English, but I guess you know what I'm talking about? In any case if I'm using the wrong word I would not mind at all if you told me the right word for them :)**_

_**Also the whole thing about asking just sort of came. But in the end it ended up being inspired by an episode I had with my older brother when I was younger (My older brother was born too early and ended up being blind and sitting in a wheel chair), where we were going for a walk ad a little girl about four-years-old asked her mother what had happened to my older brother. To this the mother pulled her arm and hissed "You don't ask that!", but I think most people would actually prefer questions over stares :)**_

_**Crits, feed back, etc: welcomed with open arms :)  
~*~TippierCoffee~*~ **_


	6. December 6th

_**Author: TippierCoffee**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own "Codename Kids Next Door" or any of its characters. All credit goes to rightful owner: Mr. Tom Warburton.**_

_**Enjoy :)**_

* * *

_**Kuki's POV**_

_Thursday December 6_

"Okay class" Mrs. Cory called, making everyone look up at her. "Today you're all getting the script and then have a role assigned to you!" she smiled brightly out at the class as she wafted a bunch of scripts in her right hand.

Kuki smiled happily and felt how her mood lifted instantly. Finally they would get started on this and practice it at least once or twice a week, it was going to be so much fun!

Hopefully it could also make her forget about the weird thing that had happened this morning when she was eatig breakfast and had announced Christmas evening was only eighteen days away, and the only reply she had gotten was form a very grumpy Mushi, who had spat that Christmas was a big fat excuse for losers to pretend they were nice, and then she had left with loud ad hasty steps.

Kuki did wonder what had gotten into her younger sister lately. She had never see her so grumpy during the days up to Christmas before.

"And" Mrs. Cory continued "We'll open the sliding doors to the other classroom where 7B is, so we can start doing the paper chain competition today." a few people started mumbling together at this announcement, but Mrs. Cory quickly silenced them again.

"I spoke to their homeroom teacher and he said it was all good, and we also decided to get you to bond you'll do some Christmas decorations together in little groups.  
Of course we won't mind if you choose these groups yourselves, but if there are only people from your own class in the groups we'll rearrange you."

More mumbling – this time a little louder – were scattered around in the classroom. Some of it sounded positive, but Kuki did catch a few students complaining about how much a waste of time this would be.

She just wished everyone would be much more positive about these things. Of course she wanted to have ordinary classes ad learn too, and she knew they would get that. But this was a really good opportunity to connect across the classes and maybe do project across the classes as well, thereby learning twice as much.

In all honesty they should be more grateful for their teachers and the school going through all of this to make the classes cooperate closer together and make stronger friendships.

"And don't worry, we have all the materials you might need" Mrs. Cory finished as she fished up her keys to go open the siding doors.

The school had installed these in almost every classroom next to each other and did their best to make sure seven graders were next to seven graders so they could be combined whenever.

It wasn't just seven graders though, the school tried to have this system all the way up to twelfth grade.

"Hey Rachel" Kuki whispered leaning into her table partner

"Hm?"

"Should we try to see if Abby, Hoagie and Nigel wants to share a table?"

"Sure!" the blonde smiled at her. Any chance Rachel could get with those three she would take it because they really made her feel like she was in good company.

As the doors slid open people turned their head to look into the other class, and just to see the other class was a perfect mirror image of their own,a and all the students in class 7B had their head turned, just like they did.

"Well" 7B's homeroom teacher boomed clapping his hands together with a huge smile.

Kuki wouldn't know how old he was. Probably older than Mrs. Cory, because she didn't have graying hair like this man did.

"Did you finish telling everyone?" Mrs. Cory smiled

"Yeah, you're timing was actually quite perfect, I had _just_ finished when you opened the doors.

Mrs. Cory started laughing at the coincidence and introduced her to the other class.

"For those of you who don't know, I am Mrs. Cory" she smiled

"And I am Mr. Knowles" Mr. Knowles introduced himself. "I'm sure you all know what to do now?" he didn't let them reply before continuing as though it was his job to tell them this. Well, maybe it was. "Now you should get up from your chairs." no one move. "Well... Come on, stand up"

Chairs scrambled against the floor as people stood up, some looked a little uncertain, and some looked like they really couldn't be bothered, and had to practically drag themselves up.

"Okay" Mr. Knowles boomed in his deep voice, with a soft smile upon his lips. "Now mix and match" he clapped his hands, as if that was the magical signal for them to just start walking amongst each other.

Again, no one really moved and just stood there leaning from one foot to the other ad shuffling their feet to the ground every now and then. Some of them even looked like they just wanted to sit down again and just let people come to them, as if this whole thing was just a big fat joke to them.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Unless you want us to pair you up?"

By this Rachel and Kuki took one look at each other before deciding to move over to find Abby, Hoagie and Nigel, who didn't protest the least. Then some time wet by before Wally and his closest friend Nathan went to find two other guys from class 7B.

Kuki oticed how they gave each other discrete high five's. Just like Kuki and Rachel already knew Abby, Hoagie and Nigel, Wally and Nathan must have already known these two guys from their previous school.

About five seconds passed before everybody else just shuffled around each other and chose people by random.

* * *

_**Wally's POV**_

His eyes ones again diverted to their table and locked themselves onto her smiling face. He hard how laughter erupted from the five of them as they kept sculpting ad decorating, her with more precession than the others.

She almost seemed to illuminate the room in her way, and Wally once again found himself scowling over how he hadn't had the courage to just randomly go up to her and ask her out like Ace had.

Then he looked back to his friends who were not taking this serious at all, and he found himself wishing he could just go to the table where Kuki and her friends were.

There were just two problems with that. One: he didn't really know or talk to ay of them. Two: he had not bee nice to either Hoagie or Nigel when they had gone to class together in elementary school.

He let out a short snort as he tried to imagine that scene.

_Oh excuse me, my name is Wally and I know I weren't that nice to the two of you when we were in class together, but my mates are just annoying to be with, and you seem like you're having a lot more fun. Can I join your table?_

"Pff... As if" he whispered t himself

"Say something Wally?" Nathan asked from his right side, snapping him back to reality

"Huh? Oh... No... I was just... Thinking about... How dumb this whole thing is" Wally lied, looking down at his clay and the fake moss and real pine branches around his table.

"Hey... Wanna see something funny?" Lou asked snatching Wally's clay, not bothering to ear them answer.

Then he quickly shaped the brown-grayish clay into two balls and put a short thick light in ether of the clay balls.

"Look... Tatas" he started letting out a laugh and the others quickly joined.

Wally didn't do it so much because he actually found it funny – in contrast to the two others – but more because he couldn't really help it with all those dumb hormones in his body.

This was not taking it seriously at all.

"Excuse me Mrs. Cory" Kuki's voice sang again, and for the fifth time or so Wally's eyes traveled to her and rested on her flawless smiling face. "Is it okay if we take pictures of out finished products so we can share them on facebook and stuff?"

Lou let out a snicker through his nose and seemed to be overly amused by this question. Though no one but Wally's table seemed to take notice of him.

"Well I don't mind it, as long as it's just pictures. If you start texting and all that your phones _will_ be confiscated.

Wally could hear Kuki let out a little "_Yes_" as she beamed up in a huge smile, and he couldn't help but just stare at her and feel how his mouth settled into a dorky smile of his own.

She must have noticed because only a few moments passed by before she wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion and looked up to see who was looking at her, as if she could sense he was doing this.

All it took was for her eyes to find his before his body got filled with electricity and he felt as though his face was going to explode, and quickly had to look away and preoccupy himself with something that seemed progressive. He had been quick enough to observe a few were already done with their decorations and had started on the paper chain, so that was what he clumsily put himself to. Gluing strings of shimmery colored paper together on clumsy circles, not daring to look up out of fear that she was still observing him with that confused expression of hers.

Some of his friends must have noticed his behavior too because he could feel how they were staring at him as if trying to get him to talk up just like that, though luckily for Wally, they quickly decided to just ignore it and continue their not-so-serious goofing around with clays and candles.

* * *

_**Wally's POV**_

_Recess_

"Oh can we take pictures of our finished products and post them on facebook and stuff?" Lou mimicked Kuki in a mocking voice causing the two others to laugh.

"He he..." Wally tried to contribute, not even convincing himself.

"Aw come on Wally, don't tell me you didn't find that funny" Lou exclaimed padding him on the back.

Why was it wally always got himself stuck with these kind of people? Not that they were bad, but they would quickly judge you if you liked something they didn't.

If Wally had told them that he actually wanted to make a serious decoration and give it to his Mom, they would have called him a Mommy's boy and told him to hurry home so he could have his diaper changed. Maybe that was really why he wanted to sit with Kuki and her friends? Because they weren't judging each other from the decorations they made. None of them even laughed at Kuki when she started painting little rainbow monkeys on her candle while silently humming the rainbow monkey theme song.

If wally had done anything like that – just replacing it with captain Yipper – his friends would have laughed and yelled out loud for the whole class to hear.

_Oh look at this! Hahaha! Baby Beetles still worship Yipper! Hahaha!_

That could have been a pretty sight.

"You know" Lou suddenly told them "This whole thing is so dumb... Make paper chains and get a trip to the cinema. As if we can't go to the cinema whenever we want.  
I say we go in there and tear things apart... Now _that_ would be fun...  
First thing to go: the decorations. Especially the one Sanban made.  
I mean did you _see_ that thing? Filled with rainbow monkeys"

"Yeah" Nathan laughed "I had no idea Sanban still liked rainbow monkeys. Aren't they only for like five-year-old children?"

"I know right?" Lou agreed. "Let's do it then... This whole thing is just for children anyways... Not like anyone's gonna mind it."

"I dunno" wally said kicking the ground a bit "People put a lot of effort into their chains and decorations..."

"Aw come on Wally!" Nathan snorted "Unless you're scared to get caught?"

Those simple words quickly led to Lou imitating a hen while 'flapping' his elbows.

"Chicken Wally" Lou said mockingly. And that's all it took for the two others to join and for Wally to lose his temper.

"I'll show ya Chicken!" he yelled punching Lou, then headed for a window they could climb in. "Well... What are ya' cruddy people waiting for?"

Wally saw how Lou's bitter face quickly tuned into a smirk as he followed up patting the shoulder of the blonde.

"You heard the boy"

* * *

_**Kuki's POV**_

Uso... Kuki had only just stepped in the door with the four others who were grouped at 'her table', and had been laughing and enjoying herself just a matter of seconds ago. But the sight that met her when she entered the classroom nearly made her fall to the floor in a stream of tears.

She remembered hiw she during her recess had posted the pictures of her finished decoration onto her facebook with the words "_It's finally done! :D_" and now here she stood, looking at a classroom with torn shreds of paper, and clay chugged away from under the candles which had either been cut in half by scissors, scraped down or simply been tossed to the ground and shattering. Some of the candles even seemed to have been stomped upon.

Speechless and feeling strangely numb Kuki went to the group table she was seated at fingering the edges of it and picking up the sad remains of her candle on the ground with tears prickling behind her eyes. And she completely lost the strength to keep them in when she saw the spiteful words written in her table with red marker.

_Kuki Sanban is a big fat Buddha baby!_ And underneath that in capital letters _FREAK!_.

She suddenly found herself being busy wiping chunks of candle away form her chair while let her hair fall in front of her face and cover her tears, but she could still feel her body quake and then a warm hand rest on top of it. When she looked up she met Abigail's eyes and let herself fall into the arms of the dark girl as she cried her silent tears out.

When Mrs. Cory and Mr. Knowles had stepped into the class they had been furious and had asked who had done this. Everyone however seemed to be stunned, confused and down by this whole thing, and Mrs. Cory left to ask around the other classes while Mr. Knowles said to them in an angry and serious voice.

"If I find out any of you did this, I swear I'll give you the worst form of detention you can possibly imagine"

* * *

_**Yep, I wrote some wally point of view here. And I guess I should apologize non ¾ fans if I'm pissing you off, but I really love this ship and I can't help myself ^^;**_

_**Anyways. This is my chapter for today. I'm pretty surprised how something I had absolutely no idea of how to start, ended up being six pages long with 1½ line spacing in my document :D  
Crits, feed back, advices for improvement etc. very, very welcome :)**_

_**~*~TippierCoffee~*~**_

_**PS. I really tough Lou would say "Fuck this shit" or something at a point. I guess he didn't... Still gonna keep it as a T-rated fic though. Just to be safe I suppose xP**_


	7. December 7th

_**Author: TippierCoffee**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own "Codename Kids Next Door" or any of its characters. All credit goes to rightful owner: Mr. Tom Warburton.**_

_**Enjoy :)**_

* * *

_Friday December 7_

No one had come forth yesterday about ruining everything they had made, and no one seemed to know anything about the spiteful words written on Kuki's desk either.

Mrs. Cory had gone from classroom to classroom in the entire school, but no one seemed to know anything, and so when Mrs. Cory had come back and announced no one seemed to know anything, the two classes had had to clean the whole thing up together, and then they shut the sliding doors and went to have normal lessons.

Kuki looked at her phone and the pictures she had posted of her finished decoration, but felt nothing but emptiness and sadness when she looked at it.

She sighed heavily and put the phone back into her pocket so she could finish her breakfast.

Everything she usually loved about Christmas eve and the days leading up to it seemed to have disappeared when all of that had happened yesterday. It was like it didn't matter one people to some what others felt, and usually during Christmas people would remember to be nice to one another, and respect people more and share smiles and greetings, but all of that seemed to matter less and less in her eyes after all of those things, and maybe Mushi had been right yesterday morning, when she had said that Christmas was just an excuse for people to pretend they knew how to be nice to each other.

"You seem down Kuki?" Genki asked looking at her oldest daughter with worry in her eyes. "Is something wrong?"

"... No" Kuki lied "I'm just a bit tired, that's all... Don't worry about it Mom"

Genki kept her eyes on Kuki for a while before she decided to let it go and believe in Kuki when she said nothing was wrong. Breakfast was finished, tasteless and sloppy, and for the first time in this month of December Kuki went to the school bus with her head hanging lo, not caring much for how much or little houses were decorated, or how much warmth the lights seemed to spread. This didn't matter any more.

* * *

"Good morning Kuki" Rachel smiled, sitting next to her.

Kuki just send the blonde a halfhearted smile and stared st the red smudges which had remained after the many minutes of rubbing spirit onto the table. Rachel had helped her even though the smell had been stinging and horrible and had sent tears to their eyes. The open window had done nothing about the smell, it had only made them freeze.

"I guess you're still sad about yesterday... I'm not blaming you. What happened yesterday was just horrible, and I bet you it was someone from one of the classes.  
No way some from the higher grades would get out of their way to harass us like that."

"Mmm" Kuki muttered feeling how she got a annoyed by this.

One: because she just wanted to forget all of it, and two: because she knew Rachel was right, which made her even more sad and angry. Who had destroyed all of their hard work and who had written those spiteful words. Was it someone in here who had written that, or someone from the other class?

Could it even have been one of her own friends who had gone out of their way because they thought it hilarious she still liked rainbow monkeys?

-_Argh! Listen to yourself!_- Kuki scolded herself in her head -_Accusing your friends already! What kind of thing is that to do? How much better does that make you than those who wrote that stuff and ruined all of our work? You're so stupid!_-

Right now it felt like Christmas was just a big fat joke to people and Kuki fond herself bitterly wishing this month would just pass by.

A tingling feeling crossed her neck, as though someone was watching her and she slowly turned her head and eyes to see if she was just being paranoid or if someone was actually watching her. When she turned her head though her eyes met those of Wally Beetles who sat two tables behind her next to Simon; his eyes were locked on her but the moment their eye met he quickly busied himself with something else.

This had happened yesterday too when they had been decorating and making the paper chain. Kuki had been laughing and talking mostly to Abby, when she had felt pair of eyes on her, and when she had looked across the classroom she had seen Wally looking at her with a little smile, but just like now he had quickly looked down and busied himself with making paper chains while his friends were laughing over some decoration Lou had made.

Oh snap! Kuki had completely forgotten to get a present for Wally to give him today! What was she going to do? She was a horrible secret Santa!

"Oh no" she whispered leaning into Rachel "I completely forgot to buy a gift for my secret Santa person! What do I do?"

"Hmm... what about you make something super quick or run to a store in the lunch break?"

That could work, couldn't it? Yeah. She would quickly run to the grocery shop across the street and buy Wally something random. Maybe a bag of potato chips and a toothbrush or something? She'd figure out.

* * *

_Lunch break_

Kuki quickly went outside with Rachel at her heel to not look too suspicious. She wouldn't know if wally would actually catch on, but she knew a lot of people hurried out to the grocery shop near the school in the big recess, so going with a friend would just make it look like she was one of the many people who went to buy something to eat, instead of buying from the cafeteria.

What should she get? What did Wally like? What did Wally dislike for that matter? Was he allergic to something? What if he had diabetes and wasn't allowed to eat sugar? Maybe she could find a mug for him? Yeah, that would work, good idea!

"Come on" she said, hastily dragging Rachel along with her. "We need to find the mugs"

"O-okay... Slow down Kuki, you're gonna rip my arm off"

Kuki didn't bother to listen, she knew what she was going to get, and maybe she could convince Rachel to hand it over for her so people would tell on her? Even though the Japanese felt extremely stressed out at the moment she still managed to have a little smile upon her lips.

When they finally found a little 'box' that held mugs inside of it, Kuki scrambled through all of them making them jingle as they hit each other softly, then she finally found one that seemed to be good.

It was white with a smiling reindeer on it. It was waving and had a speech bobble where _Merry Christmas_ was written inside, as if the reindeer was saying it. The reindeer was wearing a red and white striped scarf which made it look pretty adorable in Kuki's eyes. But what if Wally didn't like it?

-_Stop thinking like that Kuki! Just give it to him and stop worrying instead of being so picky about it!_-

"This one is perfect" she chirped, as if she was trying to convince herself and not Rachel. "Would you mind delivering it for me so people won't tell if they see?"

"Sure, I can do that. Expect me to ask you sometime as well though"

"No problem" Kuki smiled, as she went to the counter to pay for the mug.

When they left the shop Kuki was three dollars and forty five cents poorer, though it didn't bother her. The only thing that _did_ bother her was that she had had to wrap it in a plastic bag, poorly, quickly, and. Well. Not that pretty actually. It would have to do though.

* * *

To her luck Wally wasn't inside the classroom when they came back. Well because of lunch not many were inside the class.

She sat down at her table with fading red stains and started writing a hasty note, doing her best to make it look like it wasn't written by her. When she was satisfied she went to Rachel, then she went to have a seat again.

Rachel waited for about half a minute before she stepped into the classroom with Kuki's note and mug, before she placed it onto Wally's table. It was weird seeing pretty much every table having some sort of gift on it, Rachel hadn't really thought people would actually take this serious.

Kuki discretely watched as Rachel put the plastic-bag-wrapped mug onto Wally's table on top of one of the corners of Kuki's note.

_I'm sorry for the poor wrapping. I had forgotten about this and had to buy a last-minute gift.  
I hope you like it non the less.  
Your secret Santa._

* * *

Kuki's heart had sunken again as the day passed and she was the only one who had not received anything form her secret Santa, as though she didn't matter.

Was her secret Santa someone who didn't like her? What if it was the same person who had writeen that horrible message on her table yesterday?

Once the final bell rang Kuki fond that she was dragging her feet and her head was hanging low as she went to her locker to put in the books she wouldn't need to do her homework, though when she opened her locker she was met by something that partly made her excited and partly made her anxious.

Inside of her locker was a squared object wrapped in silver paper with a golden ribbon and a copy of her decoration from yesterday! She couldn't believe her eyes, and she didn't really know what to think about this.

She was of course happy she hadn't been forgotten, but she was also a bit terrified about someone knowing her locker combination, or being able to pick lockers open somehow.

Would it be safe for her to have her stuff in here in the future?

She picked up the squared object and carefully put it into her bag pack and then carefully carried the copy of her decoration out of her locker. She could see on the way it had been made that whoever had made this had really done their best to copy Kuki's work from yesterday, and they had also given her a little not written on a computer.

_I hope you'll like your gift.  
Also, I'm really sorry about your decoration, I hope my copy is good enough.  
Merry Christmas, your secret Santa._

Kuki could feel how her cheeks heated up and her mood and spirit instantly lifted making her almost forget about the whole incident yesterday. In just one gift her secret Santa had given her a clue that he or she was really considerate and somewhat good at crafting. She really wished she already knew by now who her secret Santa was, because whoever it was deserved a huge _Thank you_ from her.

* * *

_**Yes, I know this chapter kind of suck. Sorry about that. And sorry about it not being up on the right day, I wrote it so late ^^;**_

_**Hope you enjoyed it non the less :)**_

_**Crits, feed back, advices, whatever you have to toss at me, I welcome it ;D**_

_**~*~TippierCoffee~*~**_


	8. NOTE

_**To all of you who liked Jolly.**_

_**I am not going to discontinue this story, so do not feel left behind.**_

_**My plot was just crap (not there at all), for at least three of the days, which got me stuck.  
I will re-think/make the plot, for the days, whre I didn't have any, and continue this next year, on December 8th, and then update daily again, until December 24th.**_

_**I am terribly sorry for this wait, and I hope you can bear with me.**_

_**~*~TippierCoffee~*~**_


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